Clever leccy guys heres one for you

[Nanniemate]

If your on ehu can you plug a battery charger in and the charge your vehicle starter battery through the van

 

[Just smiffy]

I’m not a lecky guy but I’ve learned enough to say yes you can….

 

[PaulOH]

Have to remember to bring the vehicle battery charger with me next time I'm on a site.

 

[Otter Spotter]

If your on ehu can you plug a battery charger in and the charge your vehicle starter battery through the van
[/QUOTE
Yes of course you can but if you have a battery master fitted and your hooked up to EHU, it will trickle charge the van battery whilst the EHU is charging your leisure battery, if you have a battery charger built into the van

 

[Bertilak]

Not an expert but I'd say some B2B chargers can, (eg our Voltonic) but not sure about all.
A plain VSR wouldn't but could be rigged so it did (eg getting the sensor voltage from the house side, via a switch, or perhaps diodes).

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[dabhand]

Yes, did it for years with first van

 

[Gromett]

Yes you can. I bought a C-TECH MXS 5 when I first started fulltiming. I usually have this hardwired in so that as soon as I am on hookup it goes into maintenance mode.

Currently though, I just have the adapter connected to the battery so I can plug it in easily without using the crocodile clips which are a PITA.

 

[fat haggis]

When I’m on hookup it charges both vehicle battery and leisure

 

[Diabalo]

Yes you can.

I have a 12v cigarette lighter socket directly wired to my vehicle battery and plug my smart charger in that way, saves taking up the mat and battery floor cover. I only do it occationally while it's in storage to condition the battery.

 

[BillandHelen]

I’ve got 2 mains chargers permanently connected, a ctek for the lithium and the original cbe516 which now only charges the vehicle battery, works a treat when required.

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[Rapido925M]

My 2002 Rapido automatically charges both starter and habitation batteries. Why do more modern vehicles not do this?

Gordon

 

[Lenny HB]

My 2002 Rapido automatically charges both starter and habitation batteries. Why do more modern vehicles not do this?

Gordon

Nearly all modern ones do its the older vans that don't..

 

[Hoovie]

Not an expert but I'd say some B2B chargers can, (eg our Voltonic) but not sure about all.
A plain VSR wouldn't but could be rigged so it did (eg getting the sensor voltage from the house side, via a switch, or perhaps diodes).

Most VSRs are bidirectional voltage sensing so will engage if the charger is on the Leisure battery side OR the starter battery side.

So if a VSR is fitted, both batteries are likely to get charged.

If a B2B is fitted that activates on voltage sensing, then connecting a charger to the starter battery will turn on the B2B and you will be charging the Leisure battery from it as well. This might have unwanted effects (as I found when I plugged in a 20A mains charger to my camper that was fitted with a 40A voltage-activated B2B. For the first few hours it took the starter battery very low repeatedly while the 20A charger AND the starter battery was were providing charge until the leisure battery bank was high enough not to take more than 20A)


So the basic answer is "yes", but it is not a simple unequivocal "yes, obviously". You have have an idea of what is fitted to understand the effect. As the OP has told us nothing about his setup, it is not really right to just say "yes"!

 

[JJ]

I find that by touring with my motorhome from place to place the engine battery gets charged up.

I firmly believe that a motorhome is not a caravan.

JJ

 

[L' Hobo]

I’m not a lecky guy but I’ve learned enough to say yes you can….

Ditto!

but Nanniemate I have to ask why you need too, if you have travelled to the site for any distance, you starter battery should be charge from your alternator, if not, you must have problems with either battery Alternator or wiring or your long staying?

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[The Old Man]

If your on ehu can you plug a battery charger in and the charge your vehicle starter battery through the van

I have done that with no ill effects, but I'm no expert.

More the Agricultural Class of 21.

 

[Hoovie]

On my own motorhome, I have an AMT12-2 battery maintainer that provides a trickle charge to the starter.

However, if I want to actually put a higher current into it, I can on the Sargent control panel select "Vehicle" and turn on the Sargent charger on the EC unit and then the vehicle battery will be charged by the Sargent unit.
Need to be careful with this as the EHU goes through a Multiplus unit so if I don't have EHU plugged in, I am charging the starter battery from the Leisure battery via the inverter! It could be a way to get charge into a dead starter when off-grid though

 

[eddie]

If your on ehu can you plug a battery charger in and the charge your vehicle starter battery through the van

If yours is an IH it probably does automatically anyway, if not buy a Battery Master from the Motorhome Fun shop and save any hassle or risk

The Vanbitz Battery Master

No More Flat Engine Batteries The Battery Master keeps your engine starter battery topped up by linking it to the leisure battery. This automatic one-way action passes a small trickle charge to the engine battery whenever its voltage becomes less...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Riverbankannie]

If yours is an IH it probably does automatically anyway, if not buy a Battery Master from the Motorhome Fun shop and save any hassle or risk

The Vanbitz Battery Master

No More Flat Engine Batteries The Battery Master keeps your engine starter battery topped up by linking it to the leisure battery. This automatic one-way action passes a small trickle charge to the engine battery whenever its voltage becomes less...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

They don’t come with one, our starter battery went down enough in 3 weeks not to start van as we were not using it whilst selling old one. Naturally the next thing we did was to come to you for a solar panel and Battery master

 

[Furry Paws]

I charge my leisure batteries on EHU and when my starter battery failed a few weeks ago with the very cold weather I charged it with a charger plugged into my 240v in the van. Before I managed to replace it I got caught out again on the road with no hook up so I charged it using the 240v from the inverter! All OK now with brand new battery!

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[scotzsue]

Nearly all modern ones do its the older vans that don't..

Our brand new in 2009 didn't neither did our 2008 or our 2014, batterymaster worked well for all on hook up and via solar.

 

[BigPaul]

If your on ehu can you plug a battery charger in and the charge your vehicle starter battery through the van

Yes

 

[L' Hobo]

My 2002 Rapido automatically charges both starter and habitation batteries.

My 2007 Murvi charges both on EHU also, it senses which needs it the most and then charges the other, after. I think it's Ctek?

 

[Richard J]

When not being used for a while (weeks/months) I have the starter battery on charge with one of these; NOCO Genius 5
For easy attachment via its proprietory connector; NOCO GC002 X-Connect M6 Eyelet Terminal Accessory
There is a cheaper 2A version if you are never going to need to charge in a hurry
I don't use a mains charger for the Hab battery so a Battery Master wont help me, but the NOCO has got a lithium profile if really needed

 

[chris scudder]

If yours is an IH it probably does automatically anyway, if not buy a Battery Master from the Motorhome Fun shop and save any hassle or risk

The Vanbitz Battery Master

No More Flat Engine Batteries The Battery Master keeps your engine starter battery topped up by linking it to the leisure battery. This automatic one-way action passes a small trickle charge to the engine battery whenever its voltage becomes less...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

I have one of these fitted. Very easy to fit. I leave my van on EHU at home with set set normally for several weeks at a time. Engine starts first time every time.

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[L' Hobo]

When not being used for a while (weeks/months) I have the starter battery on charge with one of these; NOCO Genius 5
For easy attachment via its proprietory connector; NOCO GC002 X-Connect M6 Eyelet Terminal Accessory
There is a cheaper 2A version if you are never going to need to charge in a hurry
I don't use a mains charger for the Hab battery so a Battery Master wont help me, but the NOCO has got a lithium profile if really needed

This is probably a stupid question as I know little of electrical stuff but, I (and others) have a NOCO 1000A starter pack, could it be connected up, to extend the battery for a few more days, or are they better kept for starting the flat battery?

The main reason I ask is, that I have read that it is not a good idea to allow a starter batteries voltage to drop below a certain amount?

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Yes you can.

I have a 12v cigarette lighter socket directly wired to my vehicle battery and plug my smart charger in that way, saves taking up the mat and battery floor cover. I only do it occationally while it's in storage to condition the battery.

Absolutely.
Works for me also

 

[Richard J]

This is probably a stupid question as I know little of electrical stuff but, I (and others) have a NOCO 1000A starter pack, could it be connected up, to extend the battery for a few more days, or are they better kept for starting the flat battery?

The main reason I ask is, that I have read that it is not a good idea to allow a starter batteries voltage to drop below a certain amount?

I think the charger and the jump starter do different jobs and your starter pack will not charge the battery. You are right about the voltage drop issue which is why an appropriate charge on the starter battery is important as most vans have some ongoing drain on the battery from trackers etc

 

[Nanniemate]

Thank guys for all responses the van has been on the drive now since before Christmas, it started last week easy peasy , then went to start it this week and the battery was blah, she tried to start but I did not push the battery and shoved it onto EHU and will have a look on Friday how its getting on . It had plenty of charge according to the magic box on the wall. Im wondering if some numpty when out pottering and fettling may have left something on (light maybe) and not realised.
I am struggling not to go and see if Van will fire up first time as it always but I wan if to have a good boost first

 

[busbuddy]

How long did it run after you started it, if you just started it to check it worked then turned it straight off then you used a lot of power out of the battery and didnt replace it

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